Automatic air brake for railway cars



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. J. FORD.

AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 266,684. Patented 0013.31, 1882.

%KJ ATTORNEY (No Mode 1.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. J. FORD.

AUTOMATIG AIR BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS. No. 266,684. Patented 001;. 31,1882.

TTORNEY N. PETERS, Phoio-lzlhographar. WashmglumD, c.

(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 W. J. FORD.

AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS. No. 266,684.

Patented Oct. 31, 1882.

WITNESSES DIVENTOR.

W pwdflwm WMATTORNEY PETERS Phaw-uma n m. Washington. D. c.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

W. 'J. FORD. AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE FOR RAILWAY'G ARS.

Patented Oct. 31, 1882.

WITNESSES @XW fi (No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 5.

W. J. FORD.

AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS. No. 266,684. Patented 0013.31,1882.

In El I WITNESSES INVENTOR.

UNTTED STATES PATENT "EEIcE;

VALTER J. FORD, OF CONCORD, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMATIC AIR-BRAKE FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,684, dated October31, 1882.

Application filed May 24, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER JOHN FORD, ofConcord, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Automatic Air-Brakes for Railway-Oars; andI do hereby declare the following to be a fail, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the known improvements in automatic air brakes for railway-carsexperience has demonstrated that they are deficientin the followingparticulars: first, in economy of construction and simplicity ofoperation; second, in that their construction and operation are socomplex as not to be adapted to the skill and intelligence ot'theaveragetrain-man third, in not being adapted to safe and certain manipulatingof the brakes when the train is in motion on varying grades at differentalti-. tudes; fourth, in not being able to apply the brakes and releasethem without a jerking and jarring of the-train and its brakingmechanism fifth, in not having at all times and under all conditionswhen the train is in motion a suflicient supply of compressed air toapply or release the brakes to meet any emergency that a train may besubjected to; sixth, in not being able to maintain a maximum of forcefor manipulating the brakes; seventh, in sub jecting the air-compressingmechanism and valves connected therewith to undue wear by the inductionof dust and gritty matter into the air-compressor, air-reservoir, andinto and through the valve-chambers, and around the valves and theirseats eighth, in undue waste of the compressed air and ot' the poweremployed t'or compressing it.

My invention has for its object the overcoming of the disadvantages dueto the foregoing-recited deficiencies in air-brakes; and it consists inthe method of operating such brakes, as hereinafter described, to witcompressing air and transmittingit to the brakecylinders, andsubsequently returning the compressed air back to the air com 'n'essmgmechanism for reuse, maintaining a maximum of pressure of air in thetrain-pipe, balancing the piston of the air-cylinder, and controllingthe distribution of the compressed air to the air-cylinders [and itsreturn back to the air-compressing mechanism, and cause it to rapidlyescape in case of any sudden emergency at the will of the operator,which method and its advantages and the means for carrying it intoeffect will hereinafter more fully and at large appear.

To enable others skilled in the art with which my invention is mostnearly connected to make and use it, I will proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification,Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvement in automatic air-brakesfor railway-cars. Fig. 2 is a side view of the air-cylinder andtrain-pipe, represented partly in section. Fig. 3 represents a sectionof the air-cylinder, train-pipe, and an auxiliary air-reservoir combinedtherewith. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the relief-valve for thetrain-pipe. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same at line 3 y of Fi4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the control-valve and check. Fig. 7is a top view of the controlvalve. Figs. 8,9,10, 11, and 12 arehorizontal sections at line y y of Fig. 6, representing the variouspositions of the ports of the valve in the operating of it.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, A represents thelocomotive steamboiler, B the air-compressing mechanism, O the reservoirfor the compressed air, 1) the pipe which connects the air-compressingmechanism with said reservoir, E the air or brake cylinder, F thetrain-pipe, and G Gr the couplings of said pipe, all of which parts areof ordinary construction and operation, and are arranged with relationto each other, and secnred on the locomotive and cars in the' usualmanner; but combined with said parts is a relief-valve, II, andcontrol-valve l, of peculiar construction and operation, and alsocheckvalves, whereby I am enabled to reuse the compressed air, maintaina maximum of pressure of air in the train-pipe, balance the piston ofthe air or brake cylinder, and control the distribution of thecompressed air.

The construction of the air or brake cylinder E and its connection withthe train-pipe F is clearly shown in Fig. 2, which also represents thebranch pipe J of the train-pipe F provided with acheck-vaive,K,havingastopcock, L,interposed between it and cylinder E,and communicating therewith, for exhausting .the air from the end M ofthe cylinder E in the air or brake cylinder with an auxiliaryairreservoir, N, for the supply of additional air required for longtrains, in which case the auxiliary air-reservoir is arranged betweenthe stop-cock L and check-valve K, as shown in Fig.3. The spring end ofthe airor brake cylinderE communicates with the train-pipe F through themedium of a branch pipe,P. The piston Q, of the air or brake cylinder Eis connected with the brake mechanism in the usual manner.

The relief-valve H (represented in Figs. 4: and 5) is for the purpose ofmaintaining the maximum of air-pressure in the train-pipe F, andconsists of a case, to, having valve-chambers l) a, chamber b having abase, d, with a series of openings, 0, therein, said base being securedin the case a. by means of screw-threads f, which base forms a rest forthe main valve g, having a double seat, It and t, forming an annularspace, j, which is directly over the openings 0 in the base (I, whichbase, by means of screw-threads 7c, is secured in the train-pipe, asshown in Fig. 1. The valve 9 is fitted in the chamber I) so that it willmove easily, yet so that but little air can escape around its periphery,and its weight adjusted to suit the desired working-pressure. In acavity, 1, in a valve, g, is placed a spiral spring, at, for loading thevalve by tension of the spring m, just sutficient to balance thepressure of air acting on the annular space j of the main "alve g atworking-pressure. In the valve 9 is an opening, a, which communicateswith the cavity Z, and in the upper end of the case a is an opening, 0.In the chamber 0 is fitted a valve, 19, so that but little air canescape around its periphery at q, said valve being recessed or madesmaller in diameter at 1", so as to form an annular recess, 8, above itsseat t, which communicates with openings 1min thecasea. (Shown in Fig.5.) In the seat of the valve 1) is an opening, 1:, which communicateswith a cavity, 10, which communicates with an annular recess, .r, in thecase a, surrounding the lower part of the main valve 9. The chamber 0 isprovided with a screw-cap, y.

The operation of the relief-valve H is as follows: As soon as theworking-pressure is obtained or exceeded in the train-pipe F the airadmitted through the openings eleaks through the seat 1' and apertureend to the upper side of the valve 9, and thence escapes to theatmosphere through the openingo. At the same time the air leaks throughthe seat It, and since the exits v anda are closed by the valve p,audthe main valve gis fitted in the chamber b so that but little air canescape around its periphery, it is confined, and acting on a larger areaof the main valve than the annular space 2, for which the springm wascalculated, the main valve is thereby raised, a portion of the airescaping through openings at and 0 but the valvep not being loaded tosustain a greater pressure than a leak, the greater portion escapesthrough the space or w and openings 17 u u, thus obtaining a rapid exit.As the opening 0 is smaller than the opening a, when the air is escapingmore can pass through the opening a thancan pass through the opening 0.The pressure on the top of the main valve g is thusincreased, while itspressure on the bottom is decreased by its rapid escape through thespace to and openings on u. The closing of the valve 9 at the pressuredeterminedupon is thus secured to any degree of accuracy required by therelative sizes or diametersof the openings at and 0.

I do not claim the relief-valve H herein shownand described, but reservethe right to make it the subject-n'iatter of another application forLetters Patent of the United States.

The control-valve I communicates with the train-pipe F, inlet-pipe R ofthe air-compressing mechanism B, and reservoir 0, and is furnished withacheck-valve, S, for maintaining a less pressure of air in thetrain-pipe F than in the reservoir 0. Said control-valveis employed forthe purpose of returning thecompressed air in the train-pipe (at thewill of the operator) to the inlet-pipe R, provided with a-check-valve,T, and throughit to the air-compressing mechanism 13, which forces itthrough pipe D into the reservoir (J, from which it passes throughpipeWto the control-valve Land from itback into the train-pipe F, forreuse for operating the braking mechanism and the operator can also bysaid valve cause the compressed airto rapidly escape from the train-pipeand the end 0 of the air or brake cylinder E for applying the brakes incase of any sudden emergency. Theoperator can so allow the escape of thecompressed air from the end 0 of the brake-cylinder E and conduct itback to the compressor that thepiston Q will be balanced in thebrakecylinder, and at the same time relieve the brakes.

The control-valve I consists of-a case, a, having a valve-chamber, b,for the coniform valve 0 and two ways, d and c. ()n the stem ofthe valve0, resting on a shoulder, is a washer, g. The stem f is fitted in ahollow nut, h, in the neck t", on which is a lock or jam nut,j, forsecuring the nut h in afixed position, and the washer g and nut h arefor the purpose of adjusting the valve 0 in its chamber b for avoidingundue friction. On the upper end of the stem f of the valve 0 is secureda lever, l, for operating the valve. A part of the neck t" of. the casea is cut away, so as to leave a segment, at, the vertical faces a ofwhich serve as stops for thelever l. the lower end of the valve-chamberb is acap, 0, which may be supported by a bracket, at 19, arranged inany convenient position and secured to said bracket by means of the nutq.

To the way d of the control-valve I, by means of a union, r, is attachedthe train-pipe F, and to the cap 0 is attached, by means of a union, 8,a pipe, NV, which communicates with a reservoir, 0, and to the way 6 isattached, by means of a union, t, a pipe, U, which communicates with theinlet air-pipe R of the aircompressor B. Experience has demonstratedthat in very long trains the friction of the air in the train'pipe Fcauses it to move slowly, and that the pressure therein is thereforereduced slowly, which is due to the construction of the cheek-valveordinarily employed in connection with the train-pipe and control-valve.The check-valve, being nearly balanced, does not seat itself firmly, andthe air leaks through itat about the same rate as the airis exhaustedfrom the train-pipe. To obviate this difficulty, I employ adiaphragm-valve, S, which is more sensitive to the fall of pressure inthe ratio of the area of the diaphragm to that of the valveseat. Saidvalve is constructed as follows: Its case consists of three parts, a band 0 secured together,as indicated atf The valve (I has a verticalopening through it, and has secured to it, by means of nuts 75 and 1 twodiaphragms i and j constructed of leather or other suitable material.The peripheries of said diaphragms are secured between gum washers m inrecesses formed in the part b of the ease, and the part a and c arescrewed against said washers, thereby thoroughly packing the peripheriesof said diaphragms. The valve (7 should be of suflicient weight toproduce the desired pressure in the reservoir C over that of thepressure in the train-pipe F. The seat h 'ot' the valve is an annularring or short cylinder, so that it will not increase in size or requirereadjustment as it wears, therefore when once regulated will remainalways of the same size and rest upon the seat ot' the part c of thecase. The valve 61 has a vertical opening, 9 through it. In the side ofthe part b of the case is an opening, a, which admits the atmosphereinto the interior between the diaphragn'is '5 and j The part a has aport, 0 and the part c has a port, if. The part a is secured to the T(marked V) on the train-pipe, and to the part c is attached, by means ofa union, n, the lower end of the pipe 0, the upper end of whichcommunicates with the control-valve at P, as shown in Figs. 7 to 12,inclusive.

The operation of the check-valve is as follows: Air enters from the pipe0 through the port a to the under side of the diaphragm i", therebyoperating and raising-valve d from its seat, and then passes through theport g to the uppcrside of the diaphragmj and through port 0 to thetrain-pipe F. \Vhen the area of the diaphragm j multiplied by theairpressure in the train-pipe F is less than the area of the diaphragm imultiplied by the pressure in the reservoir 0 the valve will rise andpermit the air to flow from the reservoir O to the train-pipe F untilthe larger diaphragm j with less pressure balances the smaller diaphragm41 with greater pressure, so that the pressure in the reservoir 0 willexceed that in the train-pipe F inversely as the areas of the diaphragmsacted on, and the diaphragms may be varied in size to produce anydesired difference of pressure.

The operation of the control-valve is as follows: WVhen the lever orhandle l is in the position indicated by the dotted line a in Fig. 7that will be the position of the lever or handie I when the train is inmotion. The port 1 in the valve 0 is always in communication with themain reservoir 0 by way of the pipe NV, and is also in connection withthe pipe 0, leading to the bottom of the check-valve S, and feeding airinto the train-pipe F when ever the pressure in the said pipe plus thatdue to the valve (1 is less than the pr ssure in the reservoir G. thenthe lever or handle I is in the position indicated by dotted line I) inFig. 7 port l of the valve 0 communicates with the large port 2 in thecase a of the control-valve I, as shown in Fig. 9, leading to andfilling the train-pipe F with compressed air from the reservoir l,thereby releasing the brakes by the pressure of the air from thereservoir passing through the train-pipe F and entering the end ot' theair or brake cylinder E. The lever orhandlc l is then moved back to thedotted line a to maintain the pressure therein. \Vhen the lever l is inthe position indicated by the dotted line 0 the ports in the valve 0will be in the position shown in Fig. 11, in which positioncommunication through port 1 is cut off from the reservoir 0, and directcommunication will be had through port 5 with the train-pipe F and thepipe U communicating with the inlet-pipe R of the air-compressingmechanism, which inlet pipe It is provided with a check-valve, T, forpreventing the escape ot'the returning compressed air out through thescreen month Z'ot' the inlet-pipe it. With the valve in the positionshown in Fig. ll the compressed air will be withdrawn from thetrain-pipe F, and the end O of the air-brake cylinder E, passing throughthe controtvalvc l and pipe U to the inlet pipe It and to theair-compressing mechanism B, which will force it into the reservoir 0for reuse. The brakes at this time will be applied in full, and thus thecompressed air can be used over and over again continuously. This methodof using the compressed air over again instead of allowing it to escapefrom the end 0 of the air or brake cylinder E into the atmosphere, as inthe ordinary practice, will he very advantageous when the train ispassing over sandy or dusty railway s, by avoiding the drawing into theair-com pressing mechanism, sand, dust and othergritty matter, having atendency to clog and unduly wear the valves, pistons, and chambersforming part of said mechanism. Another very great advantage in notallowing the compressed air to escape from the end 0 of the air or brakecylinder E and train-pipe F into the open atmosphere, but,

in eontradistinction thereto, returning it to the air-compressingmechanism B for reuse, consists in the fact that it adapts myimprovement in automatic air-brakes equally well for trains runningonvrailways on the plains, lowlands, and at the highest altitudes atwhich railways are or may be constructed.

The efficiency of the air-brakes hitherto known has been found to bemuchless and more difficult to be made efficiently operative on cars ofrailways at a great altitude, for example, in the mountainous parts ofthe west, north-west, and south-west of the United States.

It will be apparent to the skilled mechanic that it is much moredifficult and requires many more strokes of the air-compressingmechanism B, and more time to charge the reservoir 0 when empted at agreat altitude than when at or near the level of the sea, and this lossof time on railways in the mountainous parts of the country, with gradesvarying from five feet to the mile to two hundred and more feet to themile, makes it a necessity to have some means provided for the rapid,frequent, and eflicient manipulation of the brakes with the leastpossible loss of compiessed air, and to have at all times suflicientsupply of it in the air or brake cylinders, train-pipe, and reservoirfor use in case of emergency, and thereby be able at all times to applyand release the brakes as may be required on heavy or light trains, andon ever-varying grades of the railways. This is especially so on steepup and down grades of railways at great altitudes. These conditions andrequirements are fully' and efficiently provided for by the method andmeans hereinbet'ore described.

\Vhen it is necessary to make a quick stop in an emergency the lever orhandle l is moved from the dotted line a to the dotted line f Then theport 4 of the valve 0 will he in communication with the port 2, and theport 5 in communication wi h the opening 1 in the case a, as shown inFig. 12, thereby allowing a sufficient amount of the compressed air inthe end 0 of the cylinder E and train-pipe-F to discharge into theatmosphere for efiiciently applying the brakes. The graduating positionof the lever l is at the dotted line 0 in Fig. 7. the lever or handle lbeing in thatposition, all the ports are closed, as shown in Fig. 10. Ifthen the lever or handle 1 is moved to the dotted line a for a secondand then brought back to the dotted line 0 a little air will beexhausted from the train-pipe and the brakes will be applied lightly.Arepetition ot'thisprocess will set them still tighter, audit the leveror handle lis allowed to remain at dotted line- 0 the brakes will beapplied full; but if the said lever or handle is moved from the dottedline 0 to dotted line b and after a second of time brought back todotted line 0 the brakes will be eased to a corresponding extent by theadmission of air from the reservoir 0 through port 1 of the valve 0 tothe trainpipe F, and will be thus held so long as the lever or handle lis at the dotted line 0 and thus, through the medium of thecontrol-valve I, the brakes can he graduated on or oft to any degree ofnicety at the will of the operator.

I am aware that a portion ofthe compressed air has been exhausted from abrake-cylinder through the medium of a pump and forced into anair-reservoir.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isi 1. In an automatic airbrake forrailwaycars, the method of operating the same herein described, viz.,compressing the air and transmitting it to the brake-cylinders andautomatically returning the compressed air back to the air compressingmechanism for reuse, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic air-brake for railwaycars, the method of operatingthe same, viz: compressing air and transntitting' it to thebrake-cylinders and returning the same to the compressing mechanism forreuse, maintaining a maximum pressure of the compressed air in thetrain-pipe through the medium of a relief-valve and controlling thedistribution thereof to the brakecylinders and its return to thecompressing mechanism and its rapid escape into the atmosphere in caseof emergency by means of a control-valve at the will of the operator,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. An automatic air-brake provided with a valve adapted to control thetransmission of substantially as herein described, and for the purposeset forth.

5. In an automatic air-brake, the combination of the air-brake cylinderE, valve L, auxiliary reservoir N, cheek-valve K, and trainpipe F,communicating with air-compressing mechanism, substantially as hereindescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an automatic air-brake,acontrol-valve, I, communicating with thetrain-pipe F, airreservoir- 0, and the inlet-pipe R of theaircompressing mechanism B, substantially as herein described, and forthe purpose set forth.

7. In an automatic air-brake, aeontrol-valve, I, communicating with thetrain-pipe F, airreservoir 0, and the inlet-pipe of the air-compressingmechanism B, in combination with the cheek-valve S and pipe 0,substantially as herein described, and for the purpose specified.

8. In an automatic air-brake, the controlvalve I, consisting of the casea, having ways (1 6, opening T, segment of a cylinder, m, havingvertical faces a, valve 0, having ports 1 4, and 5, cap 0, andadjusting-nut h andjamnutj, constructed and arranged substantially asherein described, and for the purpose set forth.

9. In anautomaticair-brake,the check-valve S, the ease constructed inthree parts, a b 0 secured together by screw-threads at J", the part ahaving port 0 and part 0 having port a, part b having opening 1", thevalve d having port and cylindrical seat ]L2, and nuts k 1 and thediaphragms i j constructed, arranged, and operating substantially asherein described, and for the purpose set forth.

10. In an automaticair-hrake, the combination of the control-valve I,train-pipe F, pipe U, inlet-pipe 1%,having check-"alve T,air-compressing mechanism B, pipe D, and reservoir 0, communicating withsaid controlvalve, substantially as herein described, and for thepurpose set forth.

11. In an automatic air-brake, the air or brake cylinder E, having theend M, communieating with the train-pipe F through the medium of thebranch pipe J, provided with stopvalve L, and check-valve K, and the end0, communicating with said train-pipe through the medium of branch-pipeP, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 3o

12. In an automatic air-brake, the auxiliary reservoir N, interposedbetween the checkvalve K and stop-"alve L, and communicating with thebrake-cylinder E and train-pipe 1*, substantially as herein described,and for the purpose set forth.

13. In an automatic ainbrake, the combination of the brake-cylinder E,control'valve I, train-pipe F, pipe U, inlet-pipeIt, having checkvalveT, air-compressing mechanism B, pipe 40 D, and reservoir 0,communicating with said con trol-valve,substantial1y as hereindescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

\VALTER J. FORD.

Witnesses:

JAMES J. JOHNSTON, T. D. D. OURAND.

